‘Ad Orientem Challenge’
Southern Nebraska Register
Exodus 90
Men in the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln participating in the Exodus 90 “Ad Orientem Challenge” will be led by a familiar voice – Bishop James Conley.
Bishop Conley provided daily reflections for the Exodus 90 app, which began on the feast of St. Martin of Tours Nov. 11 and continues through Christmas Day. Ad Orientem, “toward the East,” reflects the expectation for the coming of Christ symbolized by the rising sun. The hope of Israel for the Messiah guides people in waiting for his coming again to bring about the fullness of the Kingdom of God that he initiated through his birth.
The feast of St. Martin of Tours, akin to Thanksgiving Day in the Middle Ages, kicked off a traditional preparatory period before Advent. Bishop Conley leads Exodus 90’s first St. Martin Challenge as a time of giving thanks, expressing charity, and creating a ramp-up to the beginning of Advent. Together, the St. Martin Challenge and Advent will form a time of prayer and expectation similar in length to Lent, providing an extended preparation for Christmas.
Dr. Jared Staudt, director of content for Exodus 90, said Bishop Conley, as a noted speaker on beauty, liturgy, and Catholic education, will bring his deep spiritual and cultural insights into the unique period.
“Bishop Conley is the perfect spiritual guide for helping us to turn to the East,” Staudt said. “He will bring his attention to how the liturgy can help us to recognize the Lord’s presence through beauty. His attention to literature and the cultural heritage of the Catholic tradition will add depth to our reflections.”
Exodus 90 is built on three foundational pillars: prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. Participants commit to a structured spiritual practice that includes daily prayer, intentional self-denial, and building meaningful connections with other men of faith. Learn more at exodus90.com.
